1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to supplementing broadcast television programming with interactive content.
2. The Relevant Technology
The Internet is a worldwide collection of networks and gateways. The Internet includes a backbone of high-speed communication lines between major nodes, consisting of thousands of commercial, government, educational, and other computer systems. The World Wide Web (the Web) is a collection of formatted hypertext pages—located on numerous computer systems around the world—that are logically connected by the Internet.
Web browsers provide user interfaces to the Web, allowing individuals to access Internet content from personal computers. Internet terminals, such as those pioneered by WebTV Networks, Inc., have made the Web more accessible by eliminating the need for a personal computer. Instead, Internet terminals, or “set-top boxes,” provide Web access using an ordinary television (TV) set as a display and a remote control or wireless keyboard for user (e.g., viewer) input.
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional interactive television system 100 that includes a broadcast source 105, a set-top box 110, an ordinary analog television set 115, and a remote control 117. Set-top box 110 and television set 115 collectively form a receiver, and may be integrated. Television set 115 displays video data, including a graphical user interface 116 and broadcast video 118, conveyed from set-top box 110 by a video link 120. Video link 120 is an RF (radio frequency), S-video, composite video, or other video link. Set-top box 110 includes a network connection 122 to the Internet. Connection 122 is typically accomplished using a telephone or cable modem.
Set-top box 110 includes hardware and software for receiving and decoding a broadcast video signal 125, and for providing video data to television set 115 via video link 120. Set-top box 110 also includes hardware and software for providing a viewer with graphical user interface 116, capable of displaying both broadcast video and Web content (e.g., HTML or XML pages). A viewer operates remote control 117 to control set-top box 110 to display broadcast TV, browse the Web, and send or receive e-mail. Viewers may also control set-top box 110 using a keyboard (not shown).
Commercial advertising supports the majority of broadcast television. Such advertising is not as effective as it might be, because viewers often use commercials as an opportunity to break from viewing their televisions or to flip to other channels. Advertisers are understandably troubled by either of these alternatives. To make matters worse, again from the perspective of advertisers, recent advances in recording technology have made it easier for viewers to avoid watching commercials. There is therefore a need for a means of encouraging viewers to watch commercials.